Obsidian Dipped in Blood
by Kitana Bradford
Summary: The G-boys don't realize that Duo is the last of an ancient winged race called the Torihito. But now evil forces begin to rise, who seek to control that legendary power and will destroy all that comes in their path.
1. Teaser

Disclaimers: Ahh. here we go again. *Ahem* I value my life and the little money I have to my name, therefore I shall not even attempt to claim anything related to Gundam Wing. Warnings: OOC-ness?, shouen-ai, AU?, angst. Pairings: But of course my favorite pairing. 1+2!! If you've read my other fics, you probably know me much more then you want to right now.  
  
Obsidian Dipped in Blood  
  
Teaser Kitana Bradford  
  
The imposing figure shrouded in black paced impatiently around the cowering wreck of a man on the floor. Blood-red eyes were narrowed in wrath at the incompetence of his minions. He ignored the pitiful blithering of the panicked man at his feet.  
  
He turned and aimed a vicious kick at the cringing soldier. His foot connected and the silence was broken briefly by a wet-sounding crack.  
  
"I sent you to capture ONE LITTLE BOY AND YOU DARE TO RETURN TO ME AFTER YOU FAILED?!" His voice rose in pitched-anger as he screamed.  
  
"N-n-no, sir. I- I mean, y-yes sir." The soldier stuttered pathetically. "Please, Sire!! Just give us one last chance! We won't fail you again, I swear!!"  
  
"See that you don't. General. I want that boy alive. He is the last of the Ancient Torihito race and he is the key to the ultimate power. The consequences if you do not succeed shall be beyond your worst nightmares."  
  
The soldier paled and swallowed hard.  
  
\"Y-y-yes, sire!" The man quickly scrambled on his hands and knees toward the sanctity the solid exit provided, before his lord could change his decision to let him live.  
  
Once the soldier was gone, the dark figure resumed its pacing.  
  
"I shall have that power. and then NO ONE WILL STAND UP TO MY MIGHT!!! I SHALL BE INVINCIBLE!!!!" The ominous laughter echoed throughout the murky catacombs. 


	2. Legend of the Torihito

Disclaimers: I don't own any of the Gundam boys. just this lil' mini storyline. Sorry my chipmunks ordered me to write!!! I obey the chipmunks. @.@ ^_^V Warnings: Shouen-ai, kinda sad at first. meanie Gundam Pilots. Oh heck, just read the darn thing. ~_^ Pairings: 2+1, 1+2, some obscure 3+4 and 4+3 Are we seeing a pattern yet? ^_^  
  
Obsidian Dipped in Blood Chapter 1 Kitana Bradford  
  
Duo was miserable and bored.  
  
He had finished all his reports for this week and the one after, rearranged and ordered his lockpicks at least five times, restocked his supplies, and finished cleaning his section of their safehouse. Not to mention that now, not only was Deathscythe in the best condition it had ever been in its mechanical life, but it sported a full-body coating of shiny, protective wax. Out of things to occupy his time with, Duo had typically hunted down the first person that had entered his mind: Heero.  
  
Heero had been on his laptop when Duo had entered and began to cajole the stoic Wing pilot into doing something with him. For his efforts, Duo had immediately received a level 5, Heero Yuy - leave me alone or die slowly and painfully by my hand - deathglare.  
  
Disheartened, Duo had stubbornly decided to sit harmlessly at Heero's feet. Heero had tolerated this for all of thirty seconds before turning to the American and growling at him to go away. Duo had given Heero his best puppy face and slung an arm around the Japanese pilot's shoulders. Heero had turned on Duo and punched the American. Hard. In his unprotected abdomen. Heartbroken, Duo had left the Wing pilot to his typing.  
  
Wufei wasn't much different. Duo had found him meditating at Nataku's feet in the hangar. Without opening his eyes, Wufei had coldly told Duo that he was in no mood to deal with the American's "petty grievances" and to leave the Chinese boy in peace. Once again crushed, Duo had resorted to seeking out Quatre and Trowa.  
  
The slight Arabian had shared a mutual glance with Trowa as Duo came into sight, and the two had promptly vanished into town without so much as a goodbye.  
  
That had been two hours ago, and they still hadn't returned.  
  
Duo hugged himself as though he could hold his shattering soul together. Biting his lip to keep it from trembling, Duo swallowed several times, blinking back a suspicious moisture at his friends' rejections.  
  
"Well FINE!! If you don't want to spend time with me, I DON'T CARE!!!" He abruptly screamed and dashed out the door into the woods. But there was no one there to hear him.  
  
*** Duo sat in the middle of a field so covered with flowers that as the soft breeze caressed the delicate blossoms, it seemed as though Duo were seated in a rippling ocean of purple.  
  
But Duo was oblivious the beauty all around him. He stared vacantly at the thick fluffy clouds that decorated the sapphire sky.  
  
Why? He cried internally, Why do they hate me so much? I've never done anything really bad to them. I try to be there for them but no one ever seems to want me around! Everyone who I meet either hates me or ends up dying. I'm cursed. I AM a curse.  
  
Duo slowly became aware of a bad cramp forming in his back from his tenseness. He stretched hard, but that failed to alleviate the soreness. He stretched again, harder, straining all his muscles, but knowing as he did that his actions were futile. The cramp came from within.  
  
These kinds of cramps occurred often and usually he could ignore them. But now he was miserable, lonely, bored, and dejected. Add uncomfortable to that list and it was more then Duo could handle in his current state of mind.  
  
"Kuso! I can't take this!" Duo burst out as he leapt to his feet. "I don't think it would be too bad if I just stretched out this once. and I don't care either way."  
  
Despite his declaration, Duo looked around guiltily, checking to make sure there was no one else around, though it was unlikely. The safehouse was in the middle of the mountains at least twenty miles from the nearest town, and Duo had run a good mile and a half from the safehouse in his attempt to escape the loneliness eating at him. Besides, it was doubtful any of his companions would care enough to come searching for him.  
  
Decided, Duo tugged off his black priest's shirt, braced his feet against the solid earth, and hunched over slightly; brows furrowed in concentration and his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.  
  
At first, everything was silent and still, then suddenly, Duo's whole body tensed and he cried out softly, arching his back as large wings exploded from his shoulder blades.  
  
For the briefest of seconds, Duo was enveloped in a blizzard of midnight and crimson as feathers, loosened by their violent exposure, separated themselves from the downy appendages. Finally the air cleared, the feathers borne away on the gentle breeze or alighting among the amethyst flowers around Duo's feet.  
  
Duo sighed thankfully rotating his aching shoulder blades while spreading and clenching his cramped wings.  
  
"Oh yeah. That feels good. I've waited over ten years to do this." Duo hummed, his violet eyes half-lidded in his appreciation of his sudden freedom. Loosely folding his wings, Duo let himself fall to his back on the ground, cushioned by the flora and his soft wings. He lay prostrate, his arms crossed behind his head because his enormous wings were too large for him to sit comfortably upright on level ground.  
  
Duo's wings were bigger then he was; reaching almost a foot and a half above his head before pivoting to begin a gentle arch downward, the tips of his longest feathers reaching halfway down his calves.  
  
When spread they were an awesome sight, his impressive wingspan spanning a good 12 feet. His feathers completed the exotic look. Unlike normal wings, Duo's wings were pure ebony until the last foot or so, where the color faded to the darkest crimson: like obsidian dipped in blood.  
  
His mother had told him that he was special, a blessing; a rare breed of Torihito angels. that was before he had been orphaned in a ruthless attack on his village where intruders had invaded and killed the entire race of Torihito in one bloody night.  
  
Duo had survived because, at the last moment, his mother had pushed him into a trapdoor in the floor, then quickly covered it with a rug and dragged a small table over it. Duo had been forced to watch in tears as his mother had been dragged outside, raped, and then beaten to death.  
  
When all was quiet and the prowlers gone, Duo had forced his way from his hiding place and run to his mother, holding her tightly in his small embrace.  
  
Miraculously, she had still been alive and struggled for enough strength in her rapidly failing supply to warn her son to keep his wings hidden and not let anyone know of their presence.  
  
She had reassured little Duo that she loved him would always be with him before the light had faded from her lavender eyes.  
  
As Duo knelt among the carnage of burnt, smoldering huts and broken bodies scattered along the streets, clutching the lifeless body of his mother close and sobbing wildly, a light drizzle picked up, as though the heavens themselves were crying for the slaughter of the race of Torihito.  
  
From that day on, Duo had never once revealed his wings, hiding them magically within his back, one of the abilities of the Torihito.  
  
As Duo thought of his mother, a single tear found its way down one finely sculpted cheek. Duo lay motionless in the field until the moon was high in the sky and the stars appeared. Finally rising, Duo retracted his wings, pulled on his discarded shirt and slowly retraced his steps back to the safehouse.  
  
*** Heero's typing slowly ebbed before ceasing completely. It was quiet. Too quiet. Where was that American baka? Heero growled with frustration as he realized that he couldn't concentrate without that chatterbox near. He regretted punching the longhaired boy. He hadn't meant to hurt the Deathscythe pilot, but it was his way of retaliating against the unfamiliar emotions the American brought up in the Japanese boy.  
  
Realizing that trying to work now was useless, Heero shut down his laptop, pushed back his chair and walked into the kitchen.  
  
Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei were seated at the kitchen table eating in uncomfortable silence; Duo's usual boisterous attitude and good humor not there to initiate the friendly conversation. Heero craned his neck, checking for Duo in the connecting bar near the refrigerator, but Duo was nowhere to been seen.  
  
"Hn. Where's Duo?" Quatre's head jerked up quickly and Heero found himself the intense focus of three alarmed gazes.  
  
"I thought he was with you. We haven't seen him since we came back from the store to get groceries. That was almost three hours ago. I assumed he was up in the room you two share."  
  
"No, I haven't seen him since this afternoon." Heero said emotionlessly, inwardly apprehensive. Quatre turned to Wufei.  
  
"Wufei?"  
  
"I haven't seen him since he came into the hangar this morning, seeking entertainment. I sent him out and haven't seen him since."  
  
Heero's anxiety intensified. If Duo hadn't been at least heard all afternoon, that meant that he hadn't been home all afternoon. His gaze jerked to the window. It was dark outside. Could Duo have gone for a walk and gotten in trouble? Strayed too far from the safehouse and gotten caught?  
  
Heero's heart leapt up into his throat and he was about to suggest that they split up and scour the grounds outside for Duo when the said pilot threw open the door and stepped in.  
  
Heero's worry was instantly replaced with anger. Duo had once again been able to revive emotions the Wing pilot had long banished, and Heero loathed it.  
  
He stepped forward to give Duo a good dressing down.  
  
"Damn baka! What were you thinking? You could've been caught and we wouldn't have known until now! You could endanger the mission with this careless behavior." That's not it Heero's subconscious told him. He ignored it.  
  
"Gomen." Duo muttered in a scathing, yet self-mocking tone. "Can I go now, sir? I haven't revealed our presence, I haven't been caught, and I'm tired. So if you'll pardon me, I'll just be on my way upstairs." With that stunning tirade, Duo stalked upstairs, leaving the others in shocked silence. Quatre was the first to recover, absently massaging his aching chest over his heart, he looked apprehensively towards the empty staircase.  
  
"Something's wrong." His whispered words boomed in the deafening silence. 


	3. Evil Watching

Note from Kitana: Due to the completely amazing amount of e-mails I received requesting that I update ODB, I finally decided to live up to my promise and update the story. Sankyuu sooo much to those of you who e- mailed me! I LOVED them!! ^_^V Disclaimers: Uh. I hate these things. Standard disclaimers apply. Warnings: AU (I guess), shouen ai, mebbie yaoi (not there yet), an' "Kitana craziness" HEY! That's a legible warning. I'm eating candy, so this part is liable to get spazy. ~_^ Pairings: 1+2, 3+4  
  
Obsidian Dipped in Blood Chapter 2 (I guess I can't call it a teaser or a ficlet anymore, can I?) Kitana Bradford  
  
Duo woke up as the sun crawled upwards in the sky and reached an angle at which the sunlight shone directly in his eyes. Though the window was fastened firmly shut, the bright beams of light were not only undeterred by the thick glass, but were intensified by it. He groaned in annoyance, rolled over to bury his face against the pillow. and fell out of the twin bed with a loud 'THUMP'.  
  
Unfortunately, Duo landed hard on several assorted items that lay scattered on the carpet below his bed. When he had purposefully left them out to annoy his roommate, Duo hadn't counted on them taking their toll on him too.  
  
"ITAI!!!" He screamed and scrabbled off the floor, glaring at the offending objects before kicking them into the dusty corners beneath his bunk. This little episode over with, Duo paused to survey the room.  
  
He was the only one there; Heero's bed was empty and neatly made.  
  
"That is sooo like him," Duo grumbled to himself, padding across the carpet to the bathroom. "You'd think it would kill him to at least wake me up."  
  
At the door, Duo paused. Why am I so angry? He wondered. When since have I needed Heero to wake me up? So maybe they DID blow me off yesterday. I don't care. They can just suit themselves. But I won't let them down just because of this. I may not be their friend, but they are mine and I refuse to let them down.  
  
"Maybe it's best this way," Duo mumbled, turning on the shower and stepping in. "If they don't care about me, at least they'll be safe from my curse."  
  
The nice warm shower effectively calmed Duo's nerves and he took longer then usual. Finally, he slid the translucent shower door open and stepped out, watching as steam quickly filled the bathroom. He quickly toweled off his hair before stepping out of the bathroom, delighting as the gentle breeze from the open window cooled his skin.  
  
Duo breathed deeply of the fresh air before draping the towel over his shoulders and pulling on his usual black attire. He was just pulling on his heavy boots when a jolt ran up his back and the hair on his arms and neck all stood on end.  
  
Duo whirled, dropping into a defensive crouch, ready to incapacitate anyone foolish enough to be spying on him. but there was no one there. Unwilling to relax, Duo became suspicious. Edging closer toward the other side of the room, his violet eyes darted from side to side, searching for any likely hiding spots.  
  
As he passed his bed, silent alarms went off in his head. Immediately, he jumped away from the bed, snatching off the covers so that he could see under the bed without having to put himself at the disadvantage of crouching.  
  
There was nothing there.  
  
What's wrong with you, Maxwell? Afraid of a few dust-bunnies? He scolded himself, while grinning abashedly from ear to ear and feeling like a complete idiot in general.  
  
Chuckling, he tossed the covers back on his bed and whipped the towel off his shoulders, throwing it haphazardly back onto the shower rung. It held for a second, then fell to the ground in a heap. Duo was already turning but pretended he hadn't seen it drop, leaving it on the floor.  
  
As he brushed his hair and plaited it, the tightness in his shoulders refused to leave. He felt as though he were being watched. He growled at himself to stop being paranoid, but nevertheless, the kept stealing peeks in the mirror to reassure himself that no one was sneaking up on him.  
  
Duo's stomach grumbled just as he snapped the black elastic band into place and he grinned.  
  
"Hold on ol' buddy." He said to his stomach, patting his abdomen encouragingly, privately glad for the excuse to escape the confining room. With one last glance at the bed, Duo grabbed his cap and was out of the room, heading toward where he could grab something to eat.  
  
*** When Duo reached the doorway to the kitchen, he could hear the soft, intelligible buzz of the other four pilots' conversation. They seemed to be doing just fine without him, for once. Duo's heart tried to clog his throat, but he beat it back again. Duo, this is no time to feel sorry for yourself. He reprimanded himself. He adjusted his cap on his head and plastered a happy grin on his face, then flounced into the kitchen to join the others.  
  
"Ohayo, guys! How's it hangin'? Geeze, I'm starved!" He said, typically not giving them time to answer each question, knowing that, except for Quatre, they wouldn't answer.  
  
As he entered, the conversation stopped. Duo bounced over to the fridge, opened it, and snatched a cherry 7up from the shelves. He popped the tab and turned, raising the cool drink to his lips. The can halted a mere inch from his mouth when he realized he was the subject of four scrutinizing, intense gazes.  
  
"What!? Why are you guys looking at me like that? Is my hair green? Have I grown another head or something? Tell me."  
  
None of them answered and they avoided his eyes. Duo was puzzled and scratched the back of his head. Quatre abruptly changed the subject before Duo could say anything else.  
  
"Duo, you must see this! Look, I think I've found some feathers from some rare breed of bird!"  
  
Only Quatre could get so excited over feathers. Duo chuckled, taking a swig of his pop, shrugging, and obliging the Arabian by moving in closer to see the blonde's prizes.  
  
When he saw what was proudly displayed on the table in front of the pleased boy, Duo choked on his 7up. Quatre's collection was beautiful, it's feathers ranging from the darkest black to the purest red.  
  
Feathers Duo knew only too well.  
  
Quatre picked up one as big as his forearm and twirled it between his thumb and forefinger, eyeing it appreciatively. Then he handed it over to Duo.  
  
"Feel it. It's exceedingly soft! I've never seen such gorgeous feathers!" Duo raised the 7up again to cover a blush and pretended to inspect the feather closely.  
  
The blonde continued sadly, "I found them a little over a mile from here. There were so many on the ground. do you suppose the bird is still alive? Poor bird."  
  
At that last, Duo choked again. He looked at the feather in his hand and dissolved into giggles which quickly became forceful coughs. The others eyed him strangely, which only heightened Duo's amusement.  
  
"Is it *cough* still *cough, cough* alive! *cough* That's a good one *cough* Q-man!" Duo got out between hacks.  
  
"What is wrong with you, Maxwell?" Wufei said disapprovingly.  
  
"Nothing, Wu-man. *cough* I'm fine. *cough* Do me a favor, though. If I *cough* hack up a lung, put it back, okay?"  
  
"Stop being so melodramatic, Maxwell. Stop being so immature and act your age for once." At that, Duo stiffened momentarily, then covered it up by clearing his throat loudly and straightening up.  
  
"You wanna know what? I think I forgot something in my room. I'll be back." Duo said, turning and hurriedly leaving the kitchen, for he didn't want the others to see how his fiercely his eyes watered at their scorn. They would interpret it as weakness. Maybe it was. But Duo knew he would die if he was ever seen as unfit in Heero's eyes. No, not unfit. To Heero everyone was unfit, he was the Perfect Soldier. Heero would see him as useless.  
  
Duo burst into his room, shut the door and leaned against it.  
  
"Dammit, Duo! You have to stop this! Acting pathetic isn't going to get you anywhere." Duo was surprised when there was popping sound as the 7up container in his hand compacted under the pressure of his grip.  
  
Once again resorting to joviality to dispel the unhappiness, Duo laughed at himself and the misery slowly ebbed. It didn't go away, but it was manageable.  
  
"Well, darn. Must be my time of the month, I suppose." He joked to the empty room. Duo sipped the 7up from the can, only then realizing the feather was still in his other fist which was so tightly clenched his knuckles where turning white. He relaxed his grip and the feather floated to the ground.  
  
"Heh. I bet Quatre would have kittens if he knew the exotic 'bird' he was so obsessed about was me." That led his thoughts in another direction, and he sipped his drink absently. "Crap. I forgot about the possibility of someone finding all those stupid feathers. Oh well. The Torihito weren't well known in the first place and now they're dead and forgotten." He said sourly, pushing off the door and tossing the empty coke can in the trash.  
  
A persistent beeping startled him. He dug around the room and finally located the source of the annoying noise. His laptop buzzed insistently at him and an e-mail came up immediately after he opened it and booted it up. It was a mission. For tonight.  
  
"Perfect timing." He mumbled, scanning the briefing. "Oi, oi! Now what do we have here? A mission at the local nightclub? Surgoi! Now I can get away from the guys to have some fun and out of this humdrum little hell- hole at the same time!" Duo quickly scanned over the e-mail again, memorizing the details; what he was to wear, who he was to contact, when he was supposed to go, and how he needed to obtain the supplies he needed. This sounded like one fun mission! Duo reviewed it one last time before deleting the e-mail and shutting down his laptop. Duo stretched until his back popped then rose.  
  
There was that feeling again. Now that his thoughts weren't preoccupied, Duo again felt as though he were being watched. or hunted. He growled internally and ignored the feeling, looking from the door to the window and back to the door again. Then, abruptly, he made a decision.  
  
Going to the open window, Duo grabbed a jacket and a pair of silver- mirrored shades, grasped the sill and vaulted outside, unwilling to face the others just then. It was a fall of a mere two stories [1] and Duo landed safely, hitting the dirt and rolling once to minimize the impact. He finished the rotation on his feet and was promptly sprinting off toward the distant hangar.  
  
He wheeled his 'baby' out of the garage, admiring it's flawless, glossy black surface. Duo made sure that he walked the motorcycle far enough away from the safehouse so that he could start the engine without the worry of any of the others detecting the noise. When he was about a mile away from the house, Duo pressed his glasses on his face, hopped on the motorcycle and revved the engine, smiling in approval as it hummed smoothly beneath him. He lifted his foot off the dirt road and went flying down the road at breakneck speed, leaning into the wind and laughing in pure joy as the wind tore at his jacket and slid chilly hands over the nape of his neck, lifting his braid and tossing it wildly behind him, causing him to shiver delightfully.  
  
His heart soared with exhilaration, and he cranked the handlebars and sped up in a puff of dust, happy to leave the safehouse and his troubles there far behind for now.  
  
*** The warped dark soldier entered the murky room and knelt on the carpeted floor and bowed low in front of the shadows where he knew his lord to be.  
  
The dark-robed man swirled the blood-colored, almost black wine in his goblet and looked at the soldier's reflection in the window he stood before.  
  
"Well.? Report!" He demanded.  
  
"Master, we have found the boy," The general announced, holding up a slightly wrinkled, foot-long feather, which faded from midnight obsidian to a crimson red, for his master's inspection.  
  
The shadows shifted and the robed figure strode over, taking the feather from the man to examine for himself. After a moment, a greedy look sparkled in his depthless red eyes and he cackled triumphantly, running possessive fingers over the crumpled feather. He reached forward and ran one long-nailed hand over the soldier's face. The warrior trembled slightly at his master's chilling touch, but otherwise held still.  
  
"Now. Go capture him alive for me. If you fail, you shall suffer. Go!"  
  
The general scuttled out of the room to obey his Majesty's orders. That boy would belong to his master tonight, and he would be rewarded as promised with a sip of his Master's immortalizing magic wine. Already scheming a devious plan he began to make preparations for the attack right away..  
  
[1] HA! Note from Kitana: Now, I KNOW some of you caught that window deal. Yes, I am aware that it was shut when Duo went to take a shower, and that when he emerged later it was open. That was intended. ::evil grin:: And it will come back to haunt Duo later in the story. Uh oh.. ~_^V 


	4. Ninmu Ryoukai

Obsidian Dipped in Blood Chapter 3 Kitana Bradford  
  
When Duo roared up to the safehouse, his supplies stashed safely in the back of his motorcycle, the whole house was in disarray. He parked his bike in the garage, slung his bag over his shoulder and hurried to the house to see what was going on.  
  
He walked through the halls, looking for the others but not encountering anyone. He finally found the four sitting in the dining room, talking in serious, forceful tones. About him.  
  
Duo paused in the shadows and halted to listen to what they were saying. He leaned back against the door frame, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited for the others to notice him.  
  
"Why must Maxwell be so irresponsible? Where could he have gone? Why did he go? Doesn't he know that he endangers us all with these idiotic stunts of his?" Wufei was railing. Duo flinched.  
  
"Calm down, Wufei." That was Quatre. "I'm sure Duo has a perfectly reasonable explanation for his disappearance."  
  
"Not likely." Wufei snorted.  
  
"And don't worry about it. He's probably not going to do anything that will endanger the mission." Duo perked up at the blonde's defense of him, feeling incredibly grateful for the benefit of the doubt Quatre was willing to give him. It was nice to know that at least one of them trusted his abilities as a Gundam pilot and as an intelligent person.  
  
Then Quatre continued, "Besides, if he is captured, it will be no problem to rescue him." Duo's jaw clenched and his eyes hardened. A deceptive calm settled over him.  
  
"Just the same, we shouldn't HAVE to bail that braided fool out of an OZ prison! Which is where he probably is."  
  
Duo got sick of waiting for them to notice him and he interrupted coldly, knowing he couldn't take any more of their scathing comments. "No he's not."  
  
All four started and Duo was instantly the target of four primed guns. He ignored them and stalked forward.  
  
"Look, I know you guys hate me. Hell, I don't blame you. There's nothing good about me TO like. But I can be trusted, which I have proven over and over in combat. I have NEVER failed you and STILL you treat me as if I'm an incompetent child!" Duo felt his eyes begin to burn but he couldn't stop. He was too angry to stop. All he wanted was to be treated as an equal, why couldn't they see that?  
  
"So I may talk a lot and I eat just as much. That doesn't make me any less of a pilot, a soldier, a COMRADE!! I didn't do anything wrong, just go out ONCE to prepare for a MISSION and you jump all over me!" Duo turned, leaving the others speechless, and snatched up his bag which he had dropped at the beginning of his tirade.  
  
He paused in front of the door, his back to them and finished in a soft, sad voice,  
  
"When I agreed to join up with you four it was because I thought perhaps you might understand a little of what I am, being soldiers and outcasts yourselves. All I wanted was, for once in my life, to be trusted, if not liked. I don't want or need your pity or help, just maybe a friend would be nice. Is that so much to ask?" Duo didn't wait for an answer, instead answered his own question. "Obviously so. I'm sorry if I'm wasting your time. I have work to do, I'm leaving."  
  
"Duo." Quatre started, but it was too late, the door swung shut softly in the wake of the braided boy.  
  
As Duo walked down the hallways, he refused to acknowledge the burning sensation accumulating in his eyes. He quickened his steps. They didn't trust him. They didn't even like him. He hadn't waited for their excuses, which he knew he would've gotten had he remained in the room to hear them out. A ways down the hall behind him, he heard the door creak open again. Quatre's voice rang out again.  
  
"Duo! Wait, we -"  
  
Duo ran.  
  
The corridors flashed by in blurs, and Duo dove into the shadows to avoid detection. He couldn't face them right now. Not Wufei's disapproving glare, not Quatre's pitying glances, not Trowa's silent scrutiny, but most of all, not Heero's blank, uncaring stare.  
  
Duo dashed through the safehouse, bypassing his room - knowing it would be the first place they would look and that Heero had a key to the door.  
  
Duo reached the hangar where his motorcycle was still cooling, undetected from his trip earlier. Throwing his bag onto the back, Duo hopped on, raised the kickstand and revved the bike to life. Lifting his feet from the floor, he roared out of the garage and down the road that led to town, unaware of two pairs of eyes on him. Cobalt ones that held suppressed longing and something else unreadable in their depths, and another pair of red ones, hiding within the shadows, that burned with calculating anticipation and greed.  
  
*** The wind whipped against Duo's face and body, tearing at his hair and clothes and burning his eyes. He hadn't remembered to put on his glasses, so he had to squint to see where he was going.  
  
The wind also caught the moisture that leaked from his eyes, blowing it backward and cooling them in a trail over his cheeks.  
  
They're from the wind, He told himself fervently. Just the wind in my eyes. Duo swiped his face once with the back of his arm then sped up the motorcycle, charging into the oncoming wind.  
  
*** When Duo reached town, the sun was just setting in a brilliant display of reds, golds and violets. He paused for a minute to marvel at its beauty, rubbing his cheeks, reddened from the cold wind and stiff with dried tears.  
  
Running his fingers through his tangled bangs, Duo glanced at his watch. He had nearly forty minutes before the assigned start of his mission. Duo shrugged thoughtfully.  
  
The nightclub would just be opening. Duo decided that it wouldn't hurt for him to be there early. Actually, it would make him blend in more. And besides, he needed something to preoccupy him. The pounding beat of club music, heavy dancing, swirling lights, and drinks might just do it for him. He had always liked clubs, but had never gotten the chance to go to many because of his missions and events involving the other guys.  
  
A wide but tentative grin spread across his face as he settled his cheerful mask firmly in place. He drove the motorcycle around and parked it in an obscure corner of the club parking lot. Shouldering his bag, he took the keys for the hotel room he had purchased earlier and went to change. He didn't understand why he needed the room, but Professor G had been insistent. Duo shrugged and for once, was grateful that the old man had ridden his back until he had bought the room. Damned if he'd admit it, though.  
  
Duo tossed his bag on the bed, flicked on the lights, and gratefully headed straight for the small bathroom for a short, hot shower.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Duo emerged, a towel around his waist and toweling off his long hair. Feeling better already, the braided boy threw himself onto the bed, bouncing playfully, settling cross-legged in the middle. Draping the towel across his shoulders, he reached over and dragged his beaten bag into his lap, and begun to dig through it. He was anxious to see what the Prof. had chosen for him to wear. He hadn't had a choice and when he had asked, the Professor had been very vague, saying that it was what was necessary for a successful mission.  
  
"So. what kind of fashion sense does that old fart possess?" Duo mumbled as he rifled through the contents of the bag. He grabbed everything in the backpack, hauled it out, and spread it across the bed.  
  
When he saw what had been chosen for him, his eyes boggled in surprise. Duo held up the skimpy outfit and groaned.  
  
"That raving lunatic sadist! What was he thinking? I am not wearing these." Duo glared mutinously at the clothes for a while longer, and when the force of his glare didn't incinerate them as he hoped, he proceeded to struggle into them, fluently cursing Professor G, the school that gave him his PHD, what he majored in, the real reason why he decided to become a doctor, and why he seemed so close to the other dirty old men, especially Dr. J.  
  
When he was finally in the clothes, he stood before the full-length mirror, his wide violet eyes scanning dubiously over the tight ensemble.  
  
He looked like an idiot. Or a hooker, whichever came to mind first.  
  
Duo knew that the Professor had his exact measurements from head to toe, so the circulation-inhibiting tightness had probably been planned all along, that filthy little schemer. Duo swore he would have his revenge.  
  
Duo scanned his reflection one more time, as though if he looked away for long enough it would become more presentable. Duo waved a dismissive hand at his image, turned and dashed out the door with a gleeful smirk, pausing only long enough to lock the door behind him.  
  
*** When Duo arrived at the nightclub, the party was in full swing. Under the glowing neon letters that proclaimed the nightclub Guilty Pleasures, the bouncer checked I.D.s and took money.  
  
He looked at Duo's forged ID critically, then shifted his gaze and scrutinized the braided boy closely. Duo inwardly held his breath, but outwardly he gave the doorman a disarming grin. With a grunt, he shrugged and usured the American inside. Duo paused in the entrance to gain his bearings and inspect the club's interior.  
  
Everyone within viewing range of the doorway who caught sight of the longhaired youth stopped and stared. In front of them, hands on his hips in a pose of unconscious seductiveness was the most beautiful bishonen any of them had ever seen. Men and women alike sat up and took notice of the slight boy.  
  
He wore heavy black boots and flesh-hugging black pants that rode low on his slender hips. The leggings glinted in the bluish light of the bar like plastic, though they were actually made from supple fabric. Strategic cuts in the pants enhanced the vision as they revealed the tanned flesh beneath. Two of the slashes severed the fabric at juncture of his buttocks and legs, offering tempting glimpses of the bottom curve of the boy's firm ass.  
  
His shirt was made of the same fabric in a crimson color that was sleeveless and cut off just above each shoulder. It was split down the center and laced loosely, baring flashes of the young man's muscled torso, well-formed abs, and strong chest.  
  
The only jewelry he wore was a band of silver around one arm, small gold hoop earrings, and a choker about his neck which was studded with a single many faceted amethyst that only his eyes rivaled in color or beauty.  
  
Those large, intense eyes were framed by thick, dark lashes and accentuated by a rim of kohl around each eye.  
  
His shiny mass of chestnut hair was drawn back in a loose braid which was secured at the small of his back then left to cascade over his figure in shimmering waves.  
  
Duo was aware of and slightly uncomfortable with the amount of stares he was getting, but he casually shrugged them off. His searching eyes found a clock. It told him he had fifteen minutes before the start of his mission and thirty minutes before he was supposed to meet his contact at the bar. Briefly, Duo wondered what was so important that he receive. Professor G had refused to tell him, saying only that it was imperative his complete his mission.  
  
Then the music on the dance floor picked up with a heavy eurobeat theme and Duo gleefully went to join the throng of bodies around the stage.  
  
Duo danced alone at first, close enough to the speakers so that they caused his whole body to pound in rhythm with the music, his heart thrumming the beat. Duo took up the movement of the song, his arms sliding up his body and he latched one hand loosely around the other wrist, holding them above his head.  
  
Duo had become completely wrapped up in the music when someone brushed up behind him, seizing his waist and grinding their hips into his. Duo yelped, whirling to face the person and coming face to face with smirking scarlet eyes.  
  
Duo glared, opening his mouth to unleash the hounds of hell on the conceited bastard. He didn't get anything out because suddenly the person's mouth descended hard on his. Duo wanted to cry out, to shove the person away and put some distance between them, but his body refused to cooperate. He couldn't move an inch. His muscles began to burn as though someone had poured liquid fire down this throat. Duo's vision blurred as he fought desperately to breathe..  
  
Then, as suddenly as he had appeared, the stranger was gone.  
  
Duo stumbled, cursing, coughing, and gasping for breath.  
  
"What *cough* the heck was that about?! *cough, cough* If he was the guy I'm supposed to meet then mission or no mission I swear I'm gonna shove a gun down his throat." Duo politely pushed his way through the crowd on the dance floor, and out of the light, covering his ears as the music made his head pound painfully. Once in the semi-darkness of the bar he felt better.  
  
"Damn. This just isn't my night. I need a drink." Duo mumbled, plopping down at a barstool. The bartender eyed him critically but slid him the large, foaming, glass of ale he ordered. The amber liquid burned on its way down, but warmed his belly. Spinning around on his stool, his unfocused eyes slowly scanned the people in the club over the rim of his quickly vanishing drink.  
  
*** It had taken all of the skill on Heero's part to track the braided pilot into the famous nightclub Guilty Pleasures. He had forced himself to wait for ten minutes after Deathscythe's pilot had vanished in the distance on his black motorcycle before starting up his own white one and tailing the other.  
  
He had to find the braided boy. Failure was not acceptable. Duo's words in the den had hit a chord in Heero, and the broken look on the other's face had caused his insides to writhe guiltily. Heero had to find Duo and. apologize. But while Heero may have been fully trained to locate anyone at will, Duo had learned to avoid detection at an early age and practiced it all his life. Duo was the master at covertness, if he wanted to be.  
  
But there was also another reason he followed the braided pilot. Ever since Duo had mentioned his mission, a growing sense of unease had formed inside the Japanese boy. Every instinct he had was on full alert, warning him that something wasn't right, that Duo was in over his head. And something deep inside Heero screamed at him to protect the slender American.  
  
He had lost Duo upon entry to the town, and after thirty minutes of searching he had nearly given up, knowing that Duo was very adept at hiding. Just as he was about to leave, his eyes had caught the tail-end of the long chestnut braid he would recognize anywhere vanishing into the club. Immediately he followed, glaring down the doorkeeper, who had taken a gulp and allowed Heero through, muttering obscenities under his breath.  
  
Heero stepped into the crowded club, searching in vain for the longhaired boy. Guilty Pleasures was filled with people of all types and packed past maximum capacity. Choosing to remain indistinguishable, Heero selected a post in the shadows at once side of the club, knowing that Duo would be furious if he found the Wing pilot interfering with his mission.  
  
A flash of crimson and black in Heero's peripheral vision attracted the Wing pilot's attention. Heero turned towards the bar and his eyes widened subtly when he caught sight of Deathscythe's pilot. Duo was sprawled languidly at a barstool, dressed in one of the sexiest outfits Heero had ever seen.  
  
Duo looked like a vision straight out of a wet dream. Heero thought ashamedly, a vision straight from one of his wet dreams. Sparks of heat shot down to center between his legs and Heero's appreciation of Duo's ensemble was made obvious to any casual onlooker by the large bulge in Heero's tight spandex.  
  
Just then, another boy that looked to be only slightly older then Duo joined the braided baka. Heero growled as they turned and began to have an animated conversation. The Wing pilot guessed that this was Duo's mission, yet he eyed this new youth coldly and attempted to edge closer to his partner.  
  
*** Duo wasn't startled when he was joined at the bar by another young man. His instinct told him that this was his contact, but Duo wanted to be sure.  
  
"Hey, man. Come here to take a break from dancing? I personally can't find my dancing partner either. Care to take his place?" They were the lines that the Professor had told him would allow him to identify the person he was to meet. Duo waited to see what the other would answer.  
  
"You're missing a partner, I'm looking for one. I'll take you up on that dance and a good grope or two wouldn't be unwelcome either." Duo laughed, and relaxed. Though that last part hadn't been necessary, the first line was the required response. He had found his contact.  
  
Note from Kitana: Okay, I know that was a corny ending, but I PROMISE the next part will make up for it. I just didn't want to launch into the action then have to cut it in half at the good part. Status: TBC. (In-progress) - that means I'm still working on it. Writer's block hasn't hit me yet. ^_^ 


	5. Insanity's Kiss

Obsidian Dipped in Blood Chapter 4 Kitana Bradford  
  
Lounging languidly on his barstool, Duo eyed his companion over the rim of his glass. The first thing Duo noticed was that the guy had WHITE hair. Not your everyday punkster dye-it-so-blonde-it-looks-white, but completely colorless. And it looked natural. Besides that, he had pale skin and a pure white shock of hair that fell mysteriously over his face to conceal one sapphire eye that almost matched Heero's in intensity. Almost.  
  
Duo shook his head. Why was he thinking about Heero at a time like this? Heero hated him, and he was on a mission, besides. Duo's gaze dropped to the sturdy body of his companion.  
  
His muscular frame was adorned with white leather, the likes of which Duo had never seen. Duo guessed he couldn't be over eighteen, though his body looked mature enough to be twenty. Slowly, Duo's gaze traveled back up to the laughing cerulean eyes. Duo blushed and avoided the other's gaze when he realized that he had been caught staring at the guy's body. He took a deep swig of his beer to hide his embarrassment as the other youth returned the complete inspection; his eyes gleaming appreciatively. But as he swallowed the amber liquid, his throat burned, his head spinning and eyes blurring worse then ever, before returning to normal. Duo grimaced and set the drink firmly aside before returning his gaze to his companion.  
  
The guy certainly was hot, Duo decided. A little voice in the back of his head whispered, 'But not as hot as Heero'. Duo growled mentally and buried the thought.  
  
"I don't think I caught your name. I'm known as Shinigami, or Duo to my friends." The other youth looked up and violet met sapphire. For a second, it felt as though there were some crushing weight on Duo's shoulders and chest. Duo jumped and the pressure was gone as quickly as it had come. What the heck was that?! Duo wondered, looking at the blurry form of the other boy warily.  
  
The white-haired young man laughed. "Well then Duo, you may call me Solo, since I'm going to be your partner from now on."  
  
Solo?! The very shock at hearing that name again hit Duo like a tidal wave. Fate was cruel to have played this trick on him. Duo wondered if the other man was aware of the significance of the name to him. Duo was almost so stunned at the mention of that name that he almost missed the last part of Solo's sentence. Finally, his mind registered and he blurted out, "You're going to be my partner? When did this happen? I thought I was paired with Hee. with pilot 01." Professor G hadn't mentioned that the contact would be joining their ranks. It was so like the Professor to leave out half of the important stuff.  
  
Solo reached forward, trailing his fingers across Duo's cheek and wrapping them around the braided boy's neck to draw him close. Caught off guard, Duo allowed himself to be dragged forward, blinking at the sudden startling proximity of the sapphire eyes; his face only millimeters away from Solo's.  
  
Solo's breath caressed Duo's lips as he whispered softly, "I would explain now but it is too risky and would endanger a mission of mine. One that it is imperative I do not fail."  
  
Duo briefly wondered why he referred to it as a mission of 'his'. Wasn't it both of theirs? A mission of his? Did he have more than one? Just what was on that disk that was so important?  
  
Duo wondered why it was so hard for him to focus and let his eyes slide half shut, keeping up the façade of two guys intimately exploring each other while listening intently to Solo's words.  
  
Solo pressed closer, almost nuzzling Duo's neck as he turned his head. Lips brushing Duo's ear, he murmured softly, "But I can tell you this; my first mission is the disk I carry. It holds the precise location of a secret compound which produces a large number of the new suits called mobile dolls."  
  
Duo's brows narrowed. That mission wasn't so unusual. And it wasn't nearly as important as the guy had been making it out to be. There had to be more to it.  
  
Closing the distance between them, Duo whispered ardently, "That can't be all. We've known about the mobile dolls for ages. And while they do cause some major problems, they aren't nearly important enough to need this kind of secrecy. What are you not telling me?"  
  
Solo pulled back and looked at the American. Duo stared mutely back, his eyes sparkling fiercely, and his full lips pressed together in an expression of expectation; wisps of his fine chestnut hair and bangs framing the cherubic face.  
  
"Well?" Duo said, one side of his lips quirking upwards in his beginnings of trademark grin. His head was really beginning to hurt. Man, no more drinks for me for a while. What was in that thing? He hadn't even drank a forth of what it usually took to get him smashed.  
  
Then Solo's hands came up to capture Duo's face. Solo leaned toward the Deathscythe pilot again and whispered something in a voice that even Duo had to strain to hear over the pounding music.  
  
"My other mission. is YOU." And then his lips were on Duo's. [1]  
  
***  
  
From his corner of the club, Heero's menacing growl filtered from between clenched teeth. Heero coldly ignored the couples that tried politely to push past him as they sought to find a dark place to make out; his eyes were fixed on the two figures entwined on the high stools near the bar, the look in his cobalt orbs fit to kill.  
  
This stranger had dared touch HIS Duo! Mission or not, there was no need to involve in THIS intimate of touching. Something deep inside the Wing pilot ached; emotions he couldn't identify boiling to the surface.  
  
He longed for it to be him over there on the barstools, pressed against the slender braided American in sight of the entire club, running his fingers across those smooth cheeks, his fingers buried in the soft chestnut hair, and his lips claiming Duo's full firm ones. NOT that white haired boy!  
  
As Heero watched the two, he resolved that the tall youth would suffer as soon as his involvement couldn't possibly the danger Duo's mission. But even as he made these mental threats, Heero felt something inside of him begin to tremble and doubt assailed him from all sides. What if Duo hated him? What if Duo couldn't forgive him? Or the worst thought of all. What if Duo could forgive him but didn't want any more to do with him and welcomed this stranger into his arms?  
  
Heero's resolve crumbled and he watched stiffly, his pain visible in his stormy cobalt eyes only if one took the time to look.  
  
***  
  
Solo almost moaned softly. The feel of Duo's velvety lips beneath his were better than he had imagined. Nudging the smaller boy's head up, Solo gently parted the stunned boy's lips, sliding his tongue into the soft, moist cavern of Duo's mouth.  
  
He could taste the beer on Duo's lips and beneath that was a sickly sweet taste. Solo's brow furrowed as he tasted the underlying hints of the taste. It was sweet at first, then went sour. Solo pulled back from Duo with a jerk. He swallowed and his throat burned slightly as traces of the substance from Duo's mouth slid down his throat.  
  
Duo watched Solo with eyes that were unfocused and slightly glazed over. Solo cursed at himself for not noticing this earlier. Duo lolled in his seat and Solo seized his head, steadying him before his slid out of his chair, and bringing the braided boy's attention back to him.  
  
"Duo, have you kissed or been kissed by anyone besides me tonight?" He asked urgently.  
  
"Yeah. Damnedest thing, too. he just. came outta nowhere an' planted one on me. Had the weirdest eyes. They were red and almost looked like they were glowing. guess it was just the lights. Ugh. My head hurts like a sounva bitch. Just can't hold my liquor tonight, I guess--"  
  
"Duo," Solo interrupted the Deathscythe's pilot's rambling. Duo licked his lips and fought to keep track of all the Solos as his vision fazed out, snapped into sharp focus, then blurred again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We have to get out of here. We are in serious danger. C'mon." Solo helped Duo off the stool then steadied him as they made their way for the door. He cursed quietly to himself, "Damn, I never figured on them finding and following you before we did. Let's go out the side door and hope they don't see us."  
  
". Kay.." Duo mumbled, clinging to Solo as the white-haired boy maneuvered them through the crowd and towards the side door.  
  
***  
  
From a dark, far corner of the nightclub blood-red eyes watched in satisfaction as the two boys rose and headed for the exit. A snarl quickly bared sharp, fang-like teeth which sank deeply into the pale lip below them. The snarl was quickly gone and was replaced by a feral smirk.  
  
The White One was of no consequence.  
  
A hissing chuckle escaped the figure as a lithe tongue darted out to lap up the blood on it's lips.  
  
The Torihito would be his.  
  
Soon.  
  
Very soon.  
  
*** As Solo pulled Duo out the side door from the pounding music and into the relative quiet and darkness of the alleyway, Duo's stomach heaved. Jerking away from Solo's supportive arms, Duo stumbled a few steps away and emptied his stomach onto the stones at his feet. Duo braced his arms against the bricks in front of him, the strength sapped out of his trembling body. The cold hit Duo's fevered skin in a rush and Duo shivered violently. He started when he felt warm arms surround him and help him up.  
  
"Sorry." He muttered, "I'm not usually this bad about drinking. I don't know what's wrong with me."  
  
"It's not you. The guy you met earlier poisoned you."  
  
Duo's head flew up. That was a mistake. Vertigo over came him for a second and he reeled, desperately trying to control his stomach's violent protests. When he could talk he looked curiously at his white-haired companion. "Wha' do ya mean?"  
  
"I'll explain later. Right now I have to get out of here. My motorcycle is nearby."  
  
Duo nodded and let Solo help him down the ally.  
  
The soft 'snick' of the safety clicking off a gun and an all too familiar growl from behind stopped them.  
  
"You're not going anywhere."  
  
Solo jerked around and Duo's head spun crazily for a minute. When his vision came back into focus, Duo saw a silhouette standing in the alleyway beside the side door to the club, cobalt eyes narrowed dangerously; a gun pointed squarely at Solo's head.  
  
"Heero.." Duo fuzzily greeted the other boy.  
  
Heero's gaze flicked from Solo and scanned briefly over Duo's body; taking in the unfocused look in his eyes and the unbalance in his step before returning with even more venom to the fair-haired boy beside his partner.  
  
"Heero," Duo said again, desperate to dispel the tension he could sense even from the foggy haze settling over his senses. "S'okay man. Solo's gonna help."  
  
Heero didn't lower the gun but walked forward slowly, eyeing Solo.  
  
"Hn. Let go of Duo."  
  
"Heero." Solo said quietly, "I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm here to protect Duo."  
  
Heero didn't answer but held the gun steady.  
  
Solo caught the determined glint in the other boy's eyes and gently unwound his arm from Duo's shoulders, letting Duo stand on his own. Duo held for a second, then wobbled and stumbled.  
  
Heero took a few steps forward and caught him before he hit the ground, holding Duo close to his chest with one arm, the other maintaining his lock on the taller boy.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want with Duo?" Heero asked coldly.  
  
Solo darted nervous glances at the shadows around them.  
  
"Can we continue this conversation elsewhere? We aren't safe here."  
  
Heero glared. "No! If you think there is any chance of your --" Heero was cut off as Duo abruptly wrenched out of Heero's grasp and collapsed to his knees with a groan; his body contorted with dry heaves.  
  
Immediately there were two figures on either side of him, one white the other dark.  
  
"I didn't know you were this bad off." Solo said in an alarmed voice, ignoring Heero's glare. Darting a quick glance around the alleyway, he reached into a small leather pack that was sewn into his white ensemble and withdrew a tiny glass vial of almost iridescent green liquid. Under Heero's wary scrutiny, Solo knelt beside Duo.  
  
"Duo. Drink this. It's only temporary but it should help a little. At least, for now." A trembling hand accepted Solo's gift and Duo tossed it down with only a slight grimace at the sour taste.  
  
Duo waited and after a second, his head wasn't spinning as badly and his stomach no longer persisted in trying to turn him inside out though he felt kind of disjointed and couldn't seem to collect his thoughts.  
  
"Thanks." He smiled weakly.  
  
Just then, a shiver ran down Duo's spine and the hair on his arms and neck stood on end. Duo's head jerked up and he scanned the alley around them. There was only shadows and empty air in either direction. But Duo felt a definite pulse of some. presence. nearby. Duo wondered if he was imagining things and glanced towards the two figures beside him.  
  
Obviously Solo and Heero could feel it too, for they were looking apprehensively into the murky shadows that surrounded them.  
  
Duo jumped as a hand abruptly reached down and firmly gripped his upper arm and relaxed when he realized it was only Solo.  
  
"Come on! We have to go! Now!" Solo whispered urgently, pulling him to his feet and dragging him down the alley, motioning for Heero to follow.  
  
Heero did so silently and, surprisingly, without protest; gun ready.  
  
Duo staggered but was held up by Solo's firm grip on his arm. The presence he felt behind him was slowly growing, getting closer. Duo latched his eyes on Solo's back and concentrated on the white outline feeling Heero close on his heels.  
  
As they reached the street, illuminated by the pasty yellow glow of the street lamps, Solo broke into an all-out run. Duo and Heero followed; Duo weaving slightly until Heero grabbed him and propelled him forward.  
  
They turned corner after corner and Duo couldn't see anything behind them but somehow he knew they were being followed. His skin prickled as if it were going to try and crawl off his body at any second.  
  
Then they stood in front of a large white motorcycle. That was parked next to a shiny black one that Duo recognized as his own. Solo pulled out a set of keys and slid onto the seat, starting up the engine.  
  
Duo quickly found his own keys but Heero took them from him before he could get into the front seat. Heero took the front, started Duo's bike and motioned for Duo to hop on quickly behind him. Duo glared at Heero but decided to argue later as he felt a pinprick of fear growing in the back of his head as the presence grew closer.  
  
Duo hopped on behind Heero, wrapping his arms tightly around Heero's waist and pressing against the Wing pilot's back as they roared off.  
  
Duo sighed as he felt the dark presence beginning to retreat and relaxed against his partner, resting his forehead against Heero's back. Duo almost reeled at the feeling of Heero pressed so close; the his muscles flexing as he drove, the heat from his body that the protected him from the biting wind and the unique smell of gunpowder and a mysterious scent that was Heero. Duo wanted to cry, but boys didn't cry.  
  
Right now he didn't know whether he loved the Wing pilot or hated him for interfering with his mission. Any way it didn't matter; Heero didn't feel the same. Duo gave up trying to sort out his emotions and slumped against the object of his distress.  
  
They passed out of the town and into the forest, almost instinctively heading for the safehouse, Solo close behind. Duo hadn't realized how far down he had let down his guard until Solo's shout of warning alerted him.  
  
Clawed white hands and evil red eyes above them , glimpsed for no more than a second, reached for them, tearing at Duo's skin and hair and trying to upset the motorcycle. The forest echoed with its shrieks as it shook the branches sending down on the three a shower of leaves.  
  
"Damn you, you friggin' harpy!" Duo cursed, reaching for his gun and firing at the creature. Heero bent forward, trying to get the motorcycle out of the thing's reach. Duo growled, unable to get a clear shot of it. It seemed to be everywhere at once.  
  
Something dropped onto the motorcycle behind Duo, latching onto his shoulder and the arm with which he clutched the gun. Clamping his free arm as tightly as he could around Heero's waist, Duo swung his gun wildly at the creature, trying to knock it away even as he felt it begin to tear him from the motorcycle.  
  
Heero swerved the motorcycle dangerously close to the ground desperately trying to loose their burden. The thing sank its fangs into Duo's arm. Duo let out a cry of pain and struggled, firing shots into it's chest in rapid succession until the gun clicked empty. Five bullets at point-blank range should have killed the thing immediately but the wounds seemed to heal faster then Duo could deliver them.  
  
Then Solo was beside him, hacking at the beast fiercely with a strange glowing blade that looked like a beam sword cut down to the size of a large dagger. Solo's blade sliced right through one of it's arms. Duo saw the arm go up in the air, black blood spurting as if from a fountain, his right side. It screamed, a high-pitched noise that hurt Duo's ears and made his sensitive head pound. Duo saw it fly off in a blur of black and white in the darkness and scrabbled for a firmer seat behind Heero before it could strike again.  
  
Abruptly there was silence, the only noise that of their own motorcycles as they sped down the small road. Duo's head darted in every direction, trying to see which direction it would come from next. Duo put away his useless empty gun. Weaponless, Duo clung tightly to Heero who grunted and kept his eyes forward. But Duo knew he was watching just as intently from his peripheral vision as he was.  
  
As they rounded a bend, suddenly Heero's headlights lit up the ghastly figure of the thing. Heero grunted in alarm and tried to swerve past it. It shrieked and dove for the motorcycle, claws reaching. Heero jerked out a gun and shot it in the face.  
  
It screamed again and flew over Heero's head. As it flew overhead, Duo felt claws hook around his braid. There was inhuman strength in the grip and Duo screamed as he was torn from the motorcycle. Both Heero and Solo yelled in alarm and slammed on the breaks, skidding as they tried to stop their motorcycles and go back for Duo.  
  
Duo hit the ground half beneath the creature and they were jounced roughly once and went rolling down the road in a tangle of limbs. Duo choked as he felt a rough crack and pain flooded up from his ribcage.  
  
His vision blurred then snapped back into focus as they came to a skidding stop, him beneath the heavier, larger bulk of the creature. Duo's eyes met the face mangled from Heero's shot but slowly reforming itself. Glowing red orbs burned themselves into Duo's pupils. It leaned down and fastened it's teeth around Duo's neck and Duo struggled frantically as he felt intense agony spread through his veins, tearing at his insides.  
  
Duo cried out hysterically as he felt a tug at his very soul, consciousness seeping from him.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" He could almost no longer understand himself as his scream faded off into a gurgle of pain. Time seemed to slow as Duo's strength drained quickly from him. Duo reached desperately into the depths of his mind, scrambling for his old strength. It had been so long since he used it he wasn't even sure if it was accessible to him anymore. Heero's voice sounded from a far off distance, as well as Solo's. Slowly, Duo stopped fighting, struggling merely to breathe.  
  
Sensing victory, the thing roared triumphantly and Duo felt a flood of darkness begin to push into his body. Duo renewed his weak efforts but the darkness pushed deeper, reaching closer and closer to his soul.  
  
Then Duo found a fraction of his old strength within his mind and latched mindlessly onto it. His vision went red and he sent it into the monster in powerful waves, attacking it from the inside.  
  
It drew back from him and roared in pain and Duo sent even more power thundering into it. The roar rose to unbearable levels and it's chest exploded in a mess of black blood.  
  
A second later it was impaled upon Solo's glowing dagger.  
  
The last thing Duo saw and heard was two figures bending over him and Heero's voice calling his name frantically. That slowly faded out along with his vision until all he could hear was his breath rattling wetly in his chest. Then he surrendered to the soothing darkness.  
  
[1] Myahahhahhah! I'm rollin' now! Okay, enough with my self- congratulatory yap. ::flashes you a mischievous grin:: Duo is so yummy, ne? Status: TBC!!! (Due to the utterly MIND BOGGLING amount of e-mails I have received begging, bribing, and ordering me to continue this fic!) O.O ::Runs off to start munching happily on her mountain of pocky:: 


	6. Echos of Destruction

Disclaimer: I am playing with someone else's toys, bad person that I am. ~_^  
  
Obsidian Dipped in Blood Chapter 5 Kitana Bradford  
  
"Why are you here and what do you want with Duo?" Solo turned to face the barrel of the gun poised inches from his face. He looked from the gun to unwavering cobalt eyes of it's owner.  
  
"Put away the gun and I'll tell you as much as I can." For a minute, the Japanese boy didn't move and Solo was sure that he wouldn't listen. Then the arm holding the gun slowly lowered. As Solo watched, the gun was tucked somewhere in the tight spandex the boy wore and the solemn youth took a seat opposite Solo on the sofa where his incapacitated braided companion lay unconscious, his sharp blue eyes narrowed expectantly.  
  
Solo saw the other three young men, which he assumed were the other Gundam pilots, hesitantly do the same.  
  
"First things first. My name is Solo. I already know yours is Heero but I do not know the rest of you."  
  
The three boys on the other couch looked at each other in silent communication. As though in unspoken agreement, the delicate-looking one with golden hair stepped forward, politely extending his hand to Solo.  
  
"I'm Quatre. The one to my right is Trowa and the one on the sofa over there is Wufei. Nice to meet you." The Asian boy -- Chinese, Solo guessed -- introduced as Wufei snorted.  
  
Solo stood and shook the little blonde's hand before returning to his seat beside Duo's prone body.  
  
He reached out an absent hand to stroke Duo's bangs back from his forehead. A growl from the other end of the sofa made him pause. He raised his sapphire eyes to possessive cobalt ones.  
  
The Japanese boy was awfully overprotective of his partner, Solo mused. Was it possible they were lovers? Solo thought back to the kiss he had stolen from the violet-eyed beauty back in the nightclub. No, there was no way Duo was involved in any type of relationship or he wouldn't have been so stunned when Solo had kissed him. Well, if the Japanese boy hadn't claimed the braided boy already that meant Duo was up for grabs. Like it or not, if Heero wanted Duo's affections he would have to compete with Solo.  
  
Solo flashed Heero a leisurely smirk and finished brushing back Duo's bangs, running the tips of his fingers down Duo's temple and over the soft cheeks for effect, watching the anger and possessiveness flair in the other's cobalt gaze.  
  
In the pregnant silence that followed Quatre cleared his throat nervously, breaking the tension growing between the two before anything could happen.  
  
"Solo. you were going to tell us what business you had with Duo?"  
  
Solo chuckled, tearing his eyes from the furious Wing pilot.  
  
"Yes, I was. You see, contrary to what everyone believes, there are currently two wars waging throughout the Earth and colonies. The first you know about. It's the one you five have been actively involved in for the past year. The second is not so well known and much more dangerous. This is the one which I have fought in since the beginning. I am not at liberty to disclose to you the details of this war but right now I can tell you this: This war has been playing out in the open for almost a year now, using the OZ battles as cover for many otherwise unaccountable deaths. Until recently the war has been at a stalemate. Then, just barely two months ago both sides discovered there was in existence one thing which could turn the tide of the war completely to one side or the other." Solo stopped and sighed.  
  
"That thing. is Duo. Your friend here holds secrets that could damn or save our lives, maybe even our very souls." Solo saw the questioning looks on the faces of the four and held up a hand, cutting off their questions before they could begin.  
  
"Before you even ask I'll tell you that I cannot reveal your friends secrets because I, myself, don't know what they are. And the few that I do know are not mine to tell."  
  
"You do us injustice," The voice was Wufei's. "If you expect us to lower our guard and believe you after you tell us that elaborate story and don't have a single piece of evidence to prove your words. If this is true, why hasn't Duo mentioned anything of the sort to us? Why haven't we heard of this great war?"  
  
"You haven't heard of it because we are skillful in covering up our tracks. I cannot tell you why Duo hasn't told you anything, maybe he doesn't even know."  
  
Wufei looked sarcastic. "So he holds great secrets that could save the universe and he doesn't even know it?"  
  
"Possibly. But it is more likely that he just doesn't realize the significance of what he knows."  
  
"Right." Even the blonde one looked dubious.  
  
*** Duo floated in darkness. It seemed as though the shadows were almost solid, wrapping him in their warm embrace, away from hurt and pain and suffering.  
  
He was floating in the embrace of Shinigami, Duo decided, snuggling deeper.  
  
That was a mistake. As soon as he moved he felt himself being lifted, borne as though on a strong wind through the layers of his unconsciousness.  
  
No.. He cried softly at the loss of the comforting warmth. Then he was standing on a stone street, the rocks solid underfoot. To every side there was civilization, delicate houses lined the street, marvels in structure and beauty. Large trees were rooted everywhere and when Duo looked up, he could see buildings built into the very wood and set among branches large enough for six people to walk side-by-side on, connected by suspended bridges.  
  
Tilting his head back even further, Duo caught sight of the sky between the leaves. It was pure blue and almost seemed to swirl, as though they were under water. For the first time he noticed that light wavy patterns were reflected off the ground, mimicking the sky.  
  
Duo was so overcome by the beauty of the place he wanted to cry. It seemed so familiar, yet he couldn't put his finger on it.. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves, playing with Duo's hair and caressing his cheeks, comfortingly. Duo stared as he caught sight of the people that hurried about, each one dressed in flowing fabric that looked like silk, wearing light pieces of ornate jewelry. The most stunning feature of all was that every one of them sported a pair of elegant white or black wings. They varied in size and length but they were real wings, nonetheless. Wings not unlike his own!  
  
He shifted his shoulders involuntarily and was startled when he heard a soft rustle from behind. For the first time he realized that the tight feeling and the ache that always plagued his back were gone. He glanced over his shoulder as though to confirm what he already knew. There, arching from his shoulder blades and looming over his head, were the dark shapes of his wings.  
  
Duo grinned, and arched his back like a contented cat, stretching and re- arranging his wings. He wondered if he could still fly. It had been so long..  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by music that echoed up from the center of the huge circle of trees. The people around him spread their wings, taking to the air and soaring gracefully toward the source of the music. No time like the present to try. Then again, no time like the present to die. Duo looked longingly after them and shrugged. Stretching out his wings, he took a running start, then was airborne. For one perilous second he wobbled, then steadied and glided gracefully soared, instantly at home in the sky.  
  
Ahead of him, Duo could see a large procession of Torihito of all ages, dancing, laughing, singing, and celebrating. The braided boy peered about, wondering what it was that caused such gaiety among his fellow winged ones.  
  
He landed nearby and made his way through the merrymakers towards the very center of the large crowd. As he passed through the crowd, the people he passed all smiled as they caught sight of him and, one by one, bowed; their right hands covering their hearts in what Duo curiously interpreted as some sort of salute.  
  
He returned their bows with confused smiles, nodding his head, the curiosity building along with his surprise.  
  
As he reached the center of the dancers, there was suddenly a crack of lightning and the sky began to darken, but none of the Torihito seemed to notice. Duo puzzled, watching the clouds boil together, rolling over each other and covering the tranquil sky.  
  
Duo glanced about, but still none of the angels had taken notice. A sense of foreboding gripped him, and he peered up at the sky again. For a second, he thought he saw a cloaked and shapeless face form amongst the black clouds, red eyes piercing his flesh, stripping him right down to his soul.  
  
"Duo.." The whispered word came on the wind so soft that it might have been his imagination. Then he heard it again. "Duo.. Surrender yourself to me.. Duo.." Duo shuddered; the words caused him to shudder worse, even, then Relena's high-pitched girly shrieks.  
  
Abruptly, movement caught his attention. From the sky, a speck of red fell from the bursting clouds. The American stared apprehensively at the fleck, unable to put reason behind his irrational fear of. a snowflake?  
  
Duo watched the single flake drift slowly towards him. His eyes followed it as the snowflake fell lazily through his line of vision to settle upon his nose. As soon as it touched his flesh, the scarlet snow vanished with a small flash of light. Duo's eyes went wide and he blinked, only vaguely aware that the entire procession had stopped and everyone was now turned towards him.  
  
Just as that single flake disappeared, the sky darkened and suddenly the air was full of red-tinted snow that fluttered down in a burgundy fall of darkened flakes. The very clouds split and seemed to bleed frozen droplets upon the land below. More snow was flung at Duo by the buffeting wind that had begun to whistle through the valley. The growing flurry began to suffocate the village under a heavy shroud of red as layer upon layer of flakes descended upon every unprotected surface. Flakes blinked at him from where they had settled upon the little buildings and the trees, which writhed in the wind.  
  
The other Torihito murmured in apprehension, looking at Duo with their huge fearful eyes, rivulets of melted snow glinting like blood as it flowed down their delicate faces. Duo alone remained untouched, for every snowflake that met with flesh or feather of his vanished quickly with a flash, as though his body seared them upon contact.  
  
Duo glanced around in alarmed dismay, then down at his palms as they began to tingle. His flesh gave off a muted glow where mysterious symbols had arisen upon the skin of each palm. Memory tugged in Duo, and he felt he should be remembering something important, but the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come as he gazed intently at the markings.  
  
On his right hand was a starburst. It looked like a shooting star: the brightest point of the star was slightly left of the center of his hand, and the tail curved towards the base of his palm, bowed past his thumb and arched across the soft flesh at the base of his fingers, the point of the tail ending just below his pinky. It shimmered a tranquil yet icy blue, not unlike the color of Heero's chilling glacial eyes. His left hand, however, bore the mark of a spiking fireball, which coiled similar to, but in the opposite direction of the starburst and glinted the dull corrosive crimson of a raw wound.  
  
Duo stared at his palms, enraptured with the flow of the forsaken power he felt stirring within him in response to the slow throb of the symbols. He could not tear his eyes away. Duo watched with the vacant, detached gaze of a bystander as his hands raised from his sides without his conscious will, to turn, palms open to the frozen droplets winding their way down from the sky.  
  
Two stray flakes settled upon each hand, dissolving into the symbols with a ripple of light. Within seconds, each mark had begun to throb furiously as the piercing colors spread to encompass the entire flat of each palm.  
  
Suddenly, foreboding seeped through Duo and he tried to recapture control; to close his fists and return them to rest at his sides. But his own hands resisted him, and Duo tried with growing alarm, to suppress the power he fell welling up inside him. He let out a cry as he fought against the force holding up his hands and his own energy, unable to hold both at once. The power, kept dormant for so long, erupted violently from Duo, touching magic with the outside air. His arms flew apart, stretched out to either side, palms outward.  
  
With a blinding burst, the light on each hand swelled outwards until it reached the ground, then spread towards the horizon. Duo cried out, as the opposing forces tore at him as though to rip him apart.  
  
In the wake of the red light that washed over the ground, everything died. Trees withered and split, buildings crumbled, people caught in its path were charred where the huddled; wings, skin, and clothes alike turned to fragile ash statues that fell apart and scattered to the wind under the force of the shockwave that followed the horizon of red light. The snow piled on the ground melted, running down the streets like rivers of fresh blood.  
  
To his right, the blue light spread, a counterpart to the devastating red light, but no less horrifying. Plants it touched erupted with an almost violent stretch, trees shooting upwards and sprouting; the thick leafy canopy obscuring the sky. Huge roots burst from the ground, heedless of buildings or beings in their path. Thick green vines began to grow rapidly, winding their way around any object nearby. The Torihito ensnared by these vines cried out, reaching for their loves ones as they were torn away from one another and squeezed relentlessly in the leafy vice.  
  
Duo cried out, trying to move to their aid, but the was pinioned by the powers tearing him in either direction. His muscles strained, pulled almost beyond endurance, and Duo wailed in horror, willing with all his might for the carnage to stop, thrashing against the forces that held him pinned.  
  
The ground began to rumble and then rupture as each light gathered force and turned upon itself, rushing backwards like clashing tsunamis. A tidal wave of red arched high over his left, speeding towards him and the growing tidal wave of blue to his right.  
  
They hit in the middle, draining the color from the world around them and painting the world in a grey haze that became pure destruction. The few Torihito surviving on either side were ripped apart with cries of pain and fear. Duo screamed in denial, but the power did not vanish, only grew. Duo could feel the pull on his soul as it fed off his own power. And Duo realized in that instant that it was his own energy that fought, annihilating anyone caught in the middle. He knew in that instant why his mother had so fervently made him promise NEVER to use his power. He cried out and thrashed in renewed fury and dismay as his own power tore the very fabric of the air in its battle.  
  
"NO! STOP! NOOOOOO!!!"  
  
*** Everyone in the safe house started as Duo bolted up suddenly from where he lay with a choked scream that became rasping coughs as he doubled over and clutched his ribs helplessly.  
  
"Duo!" Quatre's voice was joyful, yet laden with worry.  
  
Heero and Solo were immediately at Duo's sides, helping him to breathe and glaring at each other over Duo's chestnut head. As his coughing slowly subsided, Duo slumped weakly against Heero, who smirked at the white-haired boy and tightened his grip on the American's shoulders. Solo shrugged casually, content to bide his time. Instead, he reached foreword and smoothed back Duo's silken bangs gently.  
  
Duo's hand crept up, his trembling fingers curling around his cross like a lifeline. Solo gently gripped Duo's chin with his thumb and forefinger, raising the braided boy's face to look at him.  
  
"Hey, beautiful. How are you feeling?"  
  
Duo smiled weakly, a pink tint creeping over his cheeks as he realized he was the center of five scrutinizing gazes. "Like a mile and a half. of heavily traveled road."  
  
He squirmed self-consciously, burrowing deeper into the solid support which held him up. The solid warm support. Duo shot upright as he realized who it was he was practically laying on top of.  
  
Heero grunted, but offered no more comment. Duo winced in expectation of a punch, a blow, anything. After nearly 20 seconds had passed, Duo cautiously opened one eye. Heero sat beside him on the sofa, his face emotionless and his eyes guarded and unreadable. But, besides the slow clenching of his fists, he made no move to strike.  
  
Time seemed to slow and grind to a halt as Duo locked gazes with the Japanese pilot. Duo felt himself comforted by the familiar stability his stoic partner presented. Suddenly Duo longed to reach out, to run a finger down that chiseled cheek, to wrap his arms around that narrow, spandex-clad waist and bury his face in Heero's sturdy chest.  
  
The emotion was immediately followed by self-loathing. Heero had already shunned him, obviously distasteful of Duo's very presence and here he was, crawling back to Heero like some pathetic lost puppy, who returned to the door of his tormenter to beg for scraps after being kicked around and booted out.  
  
Duo's hands turned into fists and he drew upon experience and expertise from hard years of living to draw his mask into place, a wall to hide and protect his shredded inner core. Duo presented the Wing pilot with his trademark Shinigami grin, slightly haggard but recognizable none the less. Heero's eyes narrowed.  
  
A hand on Duo's shoulder drew his attention from the scowling Japanese teenager. Duo turned and almost jerked back with shock, his face inches from Solo's.  
  
"Um. hi. You need something?" The pale boy had an almost feral glint in his eyes and he leaned closer, so that his feathery hair brushed against Duo's cheek. Duo wanted to draw back, but any movement in that direction would put him nearly in Heero's lap, and he doubted his luck would save him from a well-placed fist the second time around.  
  
Solo's moist breath washed over the smaller boy's ear, followed by a soft pinch as the older boy nipped at the lobe. Duo attempted to suppress the small shudder that ran down his spine and back.  
  
"H-hey," Duo's voice quivered, despite his best attempts to sound nonchalant. "Do you mind? That's my ear you're chewing on."  
  
Solo chuckled and drew back to peer deeply into Duo's wide set violet gaze.  
  
As usual, Wufei was the first one to loose patience with the situation.  
  
"Will you two put and end to your. cuddling and get back to business," Wufei's face twisted in distaste and Duo grinned, relieved for the interruption.  
  
"You heard the man," Duo put in cheekily and grinned at Solo. "Let the will of the Wu-factor be done." The answer was immediate and expected.  
  
"Do not call me Wu-factor."  
  
"What's that Wu-man? Or maybe you would prefer Wu-baby? I think Wu-bear fits you well too." Wufei all but snarled and Duo guffawed at the murderous look on the Chinese boy's face, then winced as his ribs reminded him none too gently that he needed to rest. "Duo.," Quatre chided. Duo sighed.  
  
"Well, Wu. FEI did have one thing right. Would you please tell me what the hell that thing was that followed us last night? What in Shinigami's name was it after?"  
  
Though Solo addressed the entire room, his gaze did not move from Duo's.  
  
"That was a Ghast; one of the lesser ghouls you are destined to meet. Count yourself lucky that it was merely a ghoul that attacked you, Duo."  
  
"Ghouls? Ghouls are myth." Wufei. Of course. The guy couldn't accept anything beyond what he deemed "normal" if it were crammed down his throat, Duo thought uncharitably. He might possibly loosen up if someone managed to extract the pole wedged up his ass one day, but more likely the Chinese boy would just collapse on himself, deprived of his support. Duo snickered.  
  
"Then what did we see? Even your Heero saw it." Solo turned to the stoic Wing pilot. "Are you going to tell me that the thing we saw -- that you saw for yourself was human?"  
  
"Whatever the fuck it was it definitely wasn't human," Duo muttered under his breath, yet loud enough to be heard. His friends ignored him in favor of Heero's analysis and Duo did a slow burn in his seat. He had been there too. He had punk ass monster bruises and a broken rib to prove for it. But do they listen to him? Nooooo.  
  
Duo made himself take a deep breath, then let it out. Then a thought consoled him. Heero had been there. Heero would back him up.  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed in thought. "Unconfirmed. I received no logical indication that it was anything other than normal, despite elevated abilities. And even those are not impossible for a human to reach with the correct equipment."  
  
Duo couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Naaaniii?" Duo sat up stiffly. The sharp shot of pain that lanced through his ribs made him wince, but he ignored it. "Heero, that thing followed us without a motorcycle, jumped our bike, took bullets in the chest at point blank and you STILL say it might've been human?!"  
  
Heero pierced him with a frosty gaze. "There are drugs that can allow that, Duo. Be logical and look at all sides before you jump to conclusions."  
  
Suddenly, Duo wanted nothing more than to set his knuckles right into Heero's jaw. Pull the smug Japanese boy down a rung or two on his self- erected ladder of superiority. How the hell had he managed to get left behind when all of his friends were so high above him now? His anger sputtered and died, leaving a great aching void in him. He didn't have the heart to stay mad at the guys, no matter how superior they acted. He watched them rise, watched the rift between them grow as he was unable to follow.  
  
Unsure of where he had gone wrong, he wished fervently that he knew so that he could fix it and be with his friends. He would do anything to keep from being left alone again. Suddenly loneliness returned with a sharpness that he hadn't felt since that one terrible night when he was only six. Abruptly his eyes began to water and he furiously blinked back tears, refusing to let them fall and whispering repeatedly to himself: 'Boys don't cry. I won't cry. Boys don't cry. I can't cry. Boys don't cry. Boys need to be strong.' There his mind froze. After a second a lost little child's voice cried out from inside him. 'I'm a boy. So why aren't I strong?!'  
  
Unaware of Duo's distress, the others continued their drawn out debate.  
  
"Why a ghoul then?" Wufei continued to barrage Solo with his one man verbal firing squad, tone heavily drenched with sarcasm. Obviously, Wufei didn't believe a word Solo had told him. "If there are so many much more powerful. things. out there, then why send a ghoul?"  
  
"Because ghouls are effective most of the time, easy to control, and very numerous." Solo's eyes shifted back to Duo.  
  
"Isn't that right, Duo?"  
  
Caught off guard and wallowing in his own mental hell, Duo started and mumbled in a surprisingly steady voice, "Huh?"  
  
Solo smiled and quoted, "Every dead body that is not exterminated gets up and kills. The people it kills get up and kill.." He trailed off, his gaze sending ice down Duo's spine.  
  
Duo blinked. Somehow that sounded familiar, but he realized with growing annoyance that, like more and more things of late, he couldn't place it.  
  
"As for what it was after.. It was after YOU, Duo."  
  
"Nani ka?" For the first time, alarm began to prickle in the back of his mind, the previous pain receding in favor of a new apprehension.  
  
"Just trust me on this one, okay kid?"  
  
The old nickname hit Duo like a physical blow. For a second, the braided pilot couldn't make a sound. Finally, he nodded, absently rubbing his temples to soothe the ache that had been building there ever since he awoke.  
  
"I want to take you back with me, to where you'll be safe. Where you belong." At Wufei's disgruntled snort and Quatre's dismayed cry Solo turned to them. "You four could, of course, accompany us. Any protection and aid would be welcome."  
  
"Destination?" Trowa finally spoke from where he stood at Quatre's side, cutting straight to the point, as usual.  
  
"Sorry, I'm not allowed to tell you that. You'll have your chance to inspect it when we get there."  
  
Trowa nodded thoughtfully. "Departure time?"  
  
Solo turned to the silent young man. "As soon as possible, if not right away. We need to get out before they find us again and.."  
  
As the others continued to talk, Duo tuned them out, gently easing himself back against the sofa with a troubled sigh, wanting nothing more than to get some rest and forget the entire matter. Well. maybe some rest and good cuddle in Heero's arms..  
  
Duo abruptly stopped that line of thought, shaking his head to rid it of the taunting visions it brought. That was a mistake. Instantly, Duo regretted the action, as the dull ache escalated to a sharp whining pain.  
  
Duo gingerly rested his head on the back of the sofa, closing his eyes and raising his hand with a silent pained gasp to rub his poor abused forehead. It soothed him a bit, but did nothing for the pain, which grew with every passing second. Duo contemplated going in search for a mild painkiller. Normally he hated any type of drug, no matter how mild because of the deadening effect it had on the entire system. Duo noted wryly that this was a special case and for once he wouldn't mind a few hours of happy, mind- numbed, painless bliss.  
  
Decided, Duo dragged himself to his feet and began to make his unsteady way towards the dividing door to the kitchen.  
  
"Duo?"  
  
Duo cast a dazed, yet disarming sideways grin at Quatre, who eyed him worriedly. "Ne, no worries, Q-man," Halfway there. Damn, did his head hurt. "Just need some water and Advil is all," He mumbled by way of explanation. Almost to the door. He would make it if only his feet cooperated with him for just a bit longer. "Head hurts like a sonova--"  
  
Suddenly the whole room blurred and tilted crazily. Duo dazedly wondered how Heero had managed to tamper with the safe house controls enough to manage this little feat, only distantly hearing the distressed cries of the others before his head hit the floor and darkness claimed him for the second time. 


End file.
